Wyoming Education Dept. Inquiry Released

By BOB MOEN, Associated Press

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - An inquiry into the Wyoming Education
Department chronicles a slew of complaints and concerns about how the
agency was run under State Superintendent of Public Instruction Cindy
Hill.

However, the inquiry report released Tuesday by Gov. Matt Mead's office makes no conclusions or recommendations.

Concerns raised by current and former employees include how money
was spent, and how employees were treated and hired and even fearful for
their safety.

In response, Hill defended her practices or said she was unaware of specific problems and complaints.

Mead created the inquiry in February after hearing of concerns from
agency employees. The concerns came out when Mead and the Legislature
passed a law replaced the statewide elected superintendent as head of
the Education Department with a director appointed by the governor.

Cindy Hill Respondsby Taylor Viydo, tviydo@k2tv.com

Following the release of the inquiry report, State Superintendent Cindy Hill's office released a statement voicing two primary concerns with the report. Hill, however, stated that her staff cooperated with the investigation and noted that she's not sure what will become of the report.

Hill did raise concerns over what she says appears to be a faction of WDE employees intent on impairing the department. In the statement, Hill said that the report "revels that there were a handful of employees who had, and may continue to have, an agenda focused on undermining and, in some instances, sabotaging the efforts of the WDE."

Hill also said that she was troubled that some agency employees mentioned in the report did not voice their concerns to their supervisors. "The vast majority of such concerns and allegations raised in this Report were never brought to the attention of me personally or my senior staff," Hill said.